Apparatus for wrapping elongated articles



Oct. 30, 1945. c. N. STOVER APPARATUS .FOR WRAPPING ELONGATED ARTICLES 15, 1944 s Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.

A T TOR/V5 V &

/Nl ENTOR C, N S OVER Illll iiiliiill Oct.

1945. c. n. sTovER 2,388,018

APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ELONGATED A HTJ ICLES Filed Jan.- 13, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR C. N. STOVER ATTORNEY Oct. 30 'c. N. s'rovER APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ELbNGATED ARTJiCLES v INVENTOR .C. IV. STOVE/Q Patented Oct. 30, 1945 APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING ELONGATED ARTICLES Clyde-NsStover, Towson, Md., assignor to Western. Electric I Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 13, 1944,- Serial No. 518,072

' 2. Claims.

"I'his' inventionrelates to apparatus for wrap- Ding elongated articles, and more particularly to apparatu for. serving a binding cord around .a plurality of conductors forming part of a cable core and simultaneously wrappingthe thus bound conductors with a tape.

One type of communication cable comprises a core made up of a plurality of individually insulated conductors assembled in a predetermined pattern and wrapped with a helical covering of paper tape. Itis sometimes necessary to open up such cores and to sever and transpose the conductors therein, and then to splice the .transposed conductors together. This operation is known as cross-splicing" and involves the removal of a considerable "length ofthe paper'tape which must berepla'ced. Usually the spliced conductors are bound together witha cotton cord before the paper tape is applied to the bared portion of cable. The binding and taping operations heretofore havabeen performed manually, and, therefore, have been time-consuming.

It is an object OithlS invention to provide new and improved apparatus for wrapping elongated articles. 7 One embodiment of the invention comprises a device for'wrapping elongated articles such-as cables, which comprises a wheeled carriage adaptedto be moved along a worktable or bench, a serving head rotatably mounted "-on thecar: riageand having a slot formed therein through which a cable to 'be wrapped may be inserted, -and a spool 'carrying a supply of cordand a reel for carrying a pad of paper tape both rotatably mounted upon the servin'g'head for serving the cord and'tape sequentially around acabletin serted in the apparatus when the serving head is rotated and the carriage is advanced'along the cable.

Other objects andfeatures of the .lnve'ntionwill be apparent from the following detailed-description, taken in connection with the appended drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 is a frontelevation of an apparatus-embodying the invention; Fig. 2' is a horizontal sectional viewthereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one end of the apparatus, and

Fig. 4 is a reduced elevation of the opposite end thereoil r Referring now to Fig. 1 of the (drawings, a"vertical, generally U-shaped frame ll) .is:rigidly mounted .on a carriage ill which is supported by rollers 1 |'2I 2srotatably :mounted on :axles ll 3-1 .3

secured to the carriage. whenframeglthas an 5 arcuate opening l4 therein and a bearing I5 is formed thereon at one side near the top thereof. Below the bearing I5 is a handle l6 (Figs. 2, 3. and 4) forpropelling the carriage ll along a work table or bench IT.

A pulley I8 (Fig. '3) having a groove 19 therein is secured on theend of a shaft 20 rotatably mountedin the bearin l5, and a crank 2| with a handle 22 thereon is mounted on the opposite end of the shaft. A belt 25 lies in the groove IQ of the pulley-I8 and is driven thereby. A guide pulley 26 is rotatably mounted upon apin 21 secured to the frame I0 and has a, groove 3i which is engaged by the belt 25. A third pulley 32 having a groove 35 therein is rotatably mounted upon a pin 36 secured to an arm 39 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 40 secured to the frame [0. The frame [0 has a slot 4|. formed therein through which the pin 36 projects. A lug 42 extending from the frame "I has a. threaded aperture 45 therein through which a bolt 46 is adjustably threadedand secured in position by a nut 41. The lower end of the bolt 46 bears against the arm 39 and forces it downwardly, thereby pressing the pulley 32 against thebelt 25 to apply the desired tension to the-belt. Thus, the tension of the belt 25 can be regulated by adjusting and securing the bolt 46 with respect to the lug 42.

A plurality of tapered, fiber rollers 49-49 (Fig. 2) are rotatably mounted'on an equal number of flanged bushings 50-50 secured to the frame [0 by screw 5l-5l arranged around the .arcuate opening 14 in the frame and concentric therewith.

Rotatably mounted in the fram 10 is a serving head comprising an annular frame 56 having a transverse opening 51 therein and a V-shaped groove '58, formed in the periphery thereof. The serving head .55 is rotatably secured in the frame H) by the tapered rollers 49--49 which fit into the V-shaped groove. The belt 25 engages the V-shaped groove 59 in the frame 56 and rotates the frame 56 with respect to the frame ID.

A U-shaped bracket 60 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) is integrally attached to the frame 56 by means of lugs 6363 (Figs. 1 and 2). The bracket 60 has tongues 61-6l (Fig. 4) formed on the interior portion thereof. A pair of separable semi-annular guides 6262 (Fig. 4) have grooves 65-65 in the periphery thereof into which the tongues 6|--6I fit to'secure the guides against longitudinal movement with respect to the bracket 60 after the guides have been placed around a cable core .66 and inserted therein. A latch 61 pivotally secured to one arm of the bracket, is adapted,

when rotated in a clockwise direction a seen in Fig. 4, to engage the guides 62-62 and to enter a slot I formed in the other arm of the bracket 66 wherein it may be releasably secured by a nut 'II threaded thereon.

A second U-shaped bracket I2 (Figs. 2 and 3) is secured to the ends of standards I5, I6 and TI, which are integral with the frame 56, and has tongues I8'I8 similar to the tongues 6I-6I formed on the interior thereof; otally secured to one arm of the bracket 12 may be secured in a slot 8| by a nut 82 threaded on the latch I9. The latch retains complementary semi-annular guides 8585 having grooves 86-86 therein into which fit the tongues 'I8-I8 in the bracket I2. The guides 8585 enclose the cable core 66 after a cotton cord 81 and paper tape 89 have been wrapped thereon by the serving head. A disc 90 (Fig. 1) is rotatably mounted upon a pin 9I' secured to the frame 56 and is pressed by a coil spring 93 against a bushing 92 mounted upon the pin. A second bushing 94 secures a disc 96 rotatably upon a threaded axle 95 threaded through an aperture in a lug '9'! projecting from the bracket 12.

The discs at and as and the bushings 92 and 94 form a reel for holding a roll 98 of the paper tape 89. The tension upon the tape89 as it is drawn from the roll 98 may be regulated by screwing the axle 95 farther into or out of the aperture in the lug 91 to vary the compression of the spring 93. The tape is passed around guide pins IOI and I62 (Fig. 2) to the cable core 66. The pin MI is driven into an aperture I85 (-Fig. 2) formed in the frame 56'at such an angle with respect to the roll 99 that the tape 99 drawn therefrom will lie flat against the pin II as the carriage ii is moved along the cable core 66 and the tape will be applied to the cable core at a pitch proportional to the relative movement between the roll 98 and the cable core 66. The second pin I92 is also positioned on the frame 56 so that the entire width of the tape 89 lies thereagainst during the wrappin of the tape around the cable core 66.

The cord 8'! is drawn from a supply spool I06 rotatably mounted upon a spindle I81 secured to a lug I99 integral with the standard 11. A coil spring II 8 presses the spool I66 against a latch III which is pivotally mounted upon a pin I I2 passing through the spindle I81 whereby the rotation of the spool I06 will be retarded sufficiently to apply tension to the cord 81 as it is wrapped around the cable core. A pin II5 (Fig. 1) is mounted on the frame 56 and has an aperture II6 therethrough through which the cord 81 is guided to the cable core 66 at a point thereon in advance of that at which'the tape 89first contacts the cable core.

In the operation of the above-described apparatus, the frame 56 is rotated to the position relative to the frame I8, shown in Fig. 4, with the opening 51 in the frame 56 and theopen ends of the U-shaped frame I9 and the brackets 69 and 12 in alignment. The cable core 66 to be wrapped is laid upon the bench I1 and the apparatus is placed adjacent thereto near the left edge of that portion of the cable which is to be wrapped, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, With the axis of the opening I4 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable core. The cord 81 is then threaded through the guide aperture I I6, and the and the cable core 66. l

The semi-annular guides 8585 are placed around a covered portion of the cable core 66 and are inserted into the bracket I2 with the tongues I878 fitting into the grooves 86-46 therein to prevent movement of the guides 8585 longitudinally with respect to the axis of the bracket I2. The latch -I9.'is then swung over into engagement with the slot 8| andis secured the guides 85-e85-were secured, as has been described just above.

The operator then grasps the handle I6 with his left hand and slowly rolls the device along the bench'I'I in the direction of the unwrapped portion of the cable core 66', that is, toward the right, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. With his other hand the operator rotates the crank 2I*in' a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 4, vwhich causes the serving head 55 to revolve around the cable core 66 through the belt 25 which engages the groove 59 in the periphery of the frame 56. The frame 56 is kept concentric with respect to thecable core during its rotation therearound by the rollers 4949 which fit into the groove 59 at spaced points about the periphery thereof. The spool I 86 and. the roll 93 are revolved around the cable core 66 with the frame 56 to successivelywrap the. cord 8'! and the tape 89 around the cable core, the pins II5, I8I andIM guiding the cord and tape as they are applied. 7

Since the apparatus is movedtoward the unwrapped portion of the cable core 66 and the guide aperture H6 is positioned to-the. right of. the

right edge of the tape 89, as viewed in Fig. has

it is wrapped on the cable core 66, the cord '81 is firstplaced upon the bare portion of the cable core 66 and the tape 89 is wrapped thereover. The springs 93 and I I0 retard the rotation of the roll 98 and the spool I06, respectively, as the cord 81 and the tape 89 are drawn therefrom, whereby the cord and the tape are kept under tension and are tightly wrapped around th e cable core. The guides 85- -85 are revolved with the bracket I8 around the wrapped portion of the cable in the same direction that the cord 19'Iand the tape 89 were wrapped thereon and thereby smooth and tighten the wrappings of cord and tape thereon. The bracket 69 and the guides 62-62 also revolve around thecable and compress and smooth theunwrapped portion thereof.

The pitch of the wrappings of the'cord 81 and tape 89 upon the cable core 66 will depend, of course, on the speed at which the spool I96 and the roll 98 are revolved around the core relative to the speed the apparatus isnioved longitudinally along the-core, and it may be varied atpthe will of the operator. Afteras much of the cable as desired has been wrapped, the operator removes the cable from the guides f85 and 62-62, cuts unwrapped portions of the cord Bi and the tape 89 adjacent to the cablefiand secures the loose ends of the tape and cord against unravelling by any well known method, such as by-wrapping with a cord Or a'gum covered tape.

' Otherfguides havingdifierent internal diameters may, of course, be substituted for-the guides 85--85 and 62-62 so that the device maybeus'ed to wrap cables of different sizes.

vducing wrapped cables of uniform The use of the wrapping device embodying the invention produces smooth, tight, uniform wrappings of both the cord and the tape on cables by only one operation of the device on each cable and is highly efiicient and time-saving in prohigh quality.

What is claimed is:

1. -In an apparatus for wrapping cable splices, a wheeled carriage, an upright frame having an arcuate aperture therein secured to the carriage, a handle attached to the frame, a plurality of similar guide rollers rotatably mounted upon the frame in an arcuate path concentric with the aperture in the frame with a portion of each of the guide rollers projecting into the aperture, a serving head having a slot therein through which a cable splice to be wrapped may be inserted and also having a groove in the periphery thereof, a plurality of split bushings removably secured to the head for securing such a cable splice against transverse movement, a cord serving spool mounted upon the head, a guiding member for guiding a cord from the cord serving spool to the cable splice, a tape serving spool mounted upon the head, guiding means for guiding a tape from the tape serving spool to the cable splice, a drive pulley mounted on theirame, a plurality of guide pulleys attached to the frame, and a belt fitting into the groove in the serving head and passing around the drive pulley and the guide pulleys for rotating the head and the spools thereon around the cable splice as the carriage is movedalong the cable, one of said guide pulleys being adjustably mounted on the frame to regulate the tension of said belt.

2. In an apparatus for wrapping cable splices, a wheeled carriage, an upright frame having an arcuate aperture therein secured to the carriage, a handle attached to the frame, a plurality of similar guide rollers rotatably mounted upon the frame in an arcuate path concentric with the aperture in the frame with a portion of each of the guide rollers projecting into the aperture, a

S rv n h d having a slot therein through which a cable splice tobe wrapped may be inserted and also having a groove in the periphery thereof, a plurality of split bushings removably secured to the head for securing such a cable splice against transverse movement, a cord serving spool mounted upon the head, a guiding member for guiding a cord from the cord serving spool to the cable splice, a tape serving spool mounted upon the head, guiding means for guiding a tape from the tape serving spool to the cable splice, a drive pulley mounted on the frame, a plurality of guide pulleys attached to the frame, and a belt fitting into the groove in the serving head and passing around the drive pulley and the guide pulleys for rotating the head and the spools thereon around the cable splice as the carriage is moved along the cable.

CLYDE N. STOVER. 

